Charged Navy football players are identified

Jun. 22, 2013
|

by Jacqueline Klimas, USA TODAY Sports

by Jacqueline Klimas, USA TODAY Sports

Three male midshipmen accused of sexually assaulting a female mid while she was blacked out have been identified.

The (Annapolis, Md.) Capital identified the three men Friday as Josh Tate, Tra'ves Bush and Eric Graham. The men were charged with "rape, sexual assault and other sexual misconduct," a Naval Academy release said, as well making false official statements.

All three men have appeared on the Navy football roster. Bush started every game at safety in 2012, his senior season, and was second on the team in tackles. His graduation has been put on hold, the Capital reported.

Bush's grandfather, Jackson Bush, told The Associated Press on Friday that his grandson is one of the three midshipmen charged but that the young man told him he had nothing to do with the allegations.

The midshipman, Tra'ves Bush, declined to comment when reached on his cellphone Friday by The Associated Press.

"I'm not speaking on anything regarding that situation," he said.

Jackson Bush said in a telephone interview from Johnston, S.C., that his grandson had an appointment with an attorney Friday. He said his grandson had a previous relationship with the woman making the accusations. But he said his grandson told him he doesn't know anything about the assault she says took place at off-campus house in Annapolis in April 2012.

"He knew the girl, but he didn't know that anything like that had taken place," Jackson Bush said, referring to the allegations.

The Associated Press cited two people with direct knowledge of the case as identifying the other two midshipmen as Tate and Graham. The AP said they spoke on condition of anonymity because they believe it is the Naval Academy's place to give the names, which it hasn't done yet. Relatives of the other two students could not immediately be reached for comment.

Tate, a rising junior linebacker, played in every game last year. Graham, a rising senior safety, did not see varsity action his first three years and was not on the roster entering 2013, according to the official Navy athletics website.

The academy would only confirm that one of the accused is a current member of the Navy football team, and has been suspended. Tate is the only midshipman named in the report who is listed on the current football roster.

Academy spokesman John Schofield told the Associated Press that names of military personnel are not made public until cases have advanced to a court-martial. Earlier this week, the academy announced that the case will go to Article 32 hearings, which are held to determine if there is evidence to proceed to a court-martial.

The academy announced earlier this week that the case will proceed to an Article 32 hearing at the Washington Navy Yard. Navy officials are not releasing the names, nor confirming them, until the preliminary hearing. The release did not include a hearing date.

The female mid alleges she went to an off-campus party at the "football house" in April 2012 and became so intoxicated that she blacked out, said her attorney, Susan Burke.

"She learned from friends and social media that three football players were claiming to have had sexual intercourse with her while she was incapacitated," Burke said in a statement.

After reporting the alleged incident to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the alleged victim was disciplined for drinking, but the three men faced no consequences and the investigation was closed, Burke said. Burke alleged one of the accused men told the victim not to cooperate with NCIS and that the academy closed the investigation in 2012, citing the victim's unwillingness to cooperate as the reason.

The alleged victim reached out to Burke in early 2013 for help pursuing the case and the academy reopened the investigation, Burke said.

Jacqueline Klimas also writes for the Military Times, a Gannett property. The Associated Press contributed to this report.